


Made of Honor

by Sky_is_the_Ground



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Champion Hop, Illustrated Fic, Illustrations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:13:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22783873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sky_is_the_Ground/pseuds/Sky_is_the_Ground
Summary: Hop is crowned the new champion of Galar after beating his unbeatable brother. Life is good and the future looks bright, but trouble is brewing in the air. "Descendants" of ancient Galar royalty wish to reclaim the "lost Pokemon" of the royal family, and they threaten that they will use any means necessary. Can Hop defend Galar from these weirdos, or will he fail once again?An alternate universe where instead of Gloria or Victor becoming the champion of Galar, it is Hop!
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	Made of Honor

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! [Glitchy](https://www.instagram.com/go_hop_to_it/?igshid=otstan5u7sxu) and I are finally proud to present the written form of her Champion Hop alternate universe!  
> After a little over a week, I can finally share the first part with anyone who decided to read.  
> This is a collaborative fic, where I did (most) of the writing and Glitchy did (most) of the art!  
> With that said, please enjoy.

“Race me to Postwick!” Victor pumped his legs, running in place to bring his energy up at the edge of Wedgehurst. He smiled brightly, looking back at his two companions, his twin sister Gloria and his rival, Hop.

Gloria sighed, brushing the bangs out of her eyes before shooting an unamused stare at her brother. “Do we really have to?”

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun!” Victor insisted, nudging Gloria’s shoulder.

“You’re on, mate!” Hop butted in, grinning at Victor. “Okay! On the count of three! One...two…”

“Calm down!” Gloria interrupted. “We don’t need to do any racing!”

Victor let out a heavy, drawn out sigh. “Fiiiiiiiiiiiiine.”

“I could’ve used the final challenge before the Champion Cup.” Hop had a slight pout on his face, but he calmly walked out of Wedgehurst, followed by the twins. 

“Oh yeah! The Champion Cup!” Victor’s and Hop’s sour expressions turned into grins again.

“That’s two weeks from now,” Gloria said. “You two don’t have to be so fired up about it when it’s not coming up soon.”

“But Gloria, that is soon! Two weeks is just around the corner!”

“That’s half a month, Victor. It’s a lot of time.”

“Whether it’s soon or not, I’m still so anxious!” Hop said. “We’ve all come so far...and all of our learning and growth is being put to the test in the most exciting matches of our lives!”

“Yeah! We went through eight gyms and many trainers for this chance, it’s really an honor, is it?” 

“Alright, I guess...most trainers don’t get this far, anyways. We’re pretty lucky.”

“And skilled!” Hop slings his arms around Victor and Gloria. “Think about it really hard—we have the chance to become the best trainer in Galar. We get all the fame and glory! Our efforts are rewarded with the champion title! We’ll be unstoppable!”

“If one of us can even _defeat_ Leon.” Gloria crossed her arms and escaped from Hop’s hold. “Your brother is the _undefeatable_ champion.”

“Then we’ll be even more glorious!” Victor said. “I mean, beating the _undefeatable_ champion is a tremendous feat. We’ll be superstars!”

“ _If._ ” Gloria emphasized. “And even if Leon is beatable, only one of us gets to rise to the top.”

“Yeah, true,” Hop said. “And it’s going to be me.”

“What? No!” Victor dramatically gasped. “It’s going to be _me!_ ”

“Hah! Good luck! I’ve been experimenting and training for a long time. I already know what works and what doesn’t. You’re going down in the tournaments, Victor!”

“Oh yeah? Well I’ve hardly lost a battle.”

Hop scoffs a little. “You haven’t seen my new team. I’m certain you won’t be able to beat it this time!”

“Challenge accepted!”

Gloria sighed. “Sometimes I wonder if I should’ve taken on the Gym Challenge.”

Victor blinked curiously at his sister. “Why?”

She shrugged. “I feel like I’m not as competitive about Pokemon battles like you guys. It makes me wonder if I could bring up a good fight against the champion if I get there.”

“Well, not all the greatest battlers act excited all the time.” Victor raches behind Hop to pat Gloria a little. “The Stow-on-Side gym leaders look anything but excited, and Opal is always stone-faced, but they’re still really good at battling.”

“Yeah! Hop agreed. “You just have to feel passionate and enjoy yourself. That’s what all the great trainers do.”

Gloria smiled a little. “Yeah, you guys are right.”

“Oh! Look at that, we’re home!” Victor rushed up to the green door of his home. He gently knocked on it and waited for it to open.

"Coming!" said a voice from inside the home. 

The door opened. A woman, Victor and Gloria's mother, peeked through a crack in the door before opening it completely with a large grin. "Welcome home!" She looked a little behind Victor. "Oh! I see you've brought Hop along, too!"

Hop gave her a little wave. "Hello!"

"Well come on in!" She stepped aside from the door, gesturing for the kids to walk through. When they were all inside, she shut the door. 

"So, how has the gym challenge been for you three?"

"Great!" Hop and Victor shouted in unison. They looked at eachother knowingly. 

"It's been fun," Gloria replied after the boys. 

"I'm glad to hear you've all been having a nice time." The twins' mother embraced both of her children. They were quick to return the hug. "And I'm glad you've come to see me before your big day."

"We've been really nervous about the Champion Cup," Hop said. 

"Oh I can imagine!" The twins' mother let go of the hug. "I'm proud of all of you—it's a shame only one of you can win."

"Yeah…" Victor stared at the ground. He then looked up to Hop, smirking a little. "And it's going to be me!"

"I'll defeat you before you have a chance to even _see_ Lee!" 

"What if _I_ become the champion?" Gloria had a small grin on her face. 

" _No!_ " Hop and Victor shouted again. 

The twins' mother chuckled. "You all are having so much fun! It's glad to have you back, but please be careful around here."

"Did something happen?" Victor asked. 

"A boy went missing in the Slumbering Weald. A search party was called but it's far too foggy for any of them to see anything. They're trying to wait for the fog to clear up, but it doesn't seem like it wants to."

"We gotta find that kid!" Hop immediately ran out the door. 

"I'm coming too!" Victor called after him. "Bye, mom!" He ran out the door. 

"You'd better go after them," the twins' mother said to Gloria. "Make sure they don't get into trouble. 

Gloria nodded in understanding. "Bye mom, I love you." She then chased after the boys. 

She met up with the boys outside the gate to Slumbering Weald. "Wait! Isn't this dangerous?"

"Possibly," Victor said. "But we _have_ to help that kid. He's lost, alone, and scared!"

"But we could get lost, too," Gloria argued. "Then we'd trouble the police with even more missing kids."

"But Gloria, we have Pokemon!" Hop said. "Even if we get lost, we can use their help to scout an exit, or defend ourselves against the wild Pokemon."

Gloria remained silent for a few moments, deeply considering the pros and cons. Determination then shined in her eyes. "Let's go. That kid needs someone to get him."

The three walked through the open wooden gate and into the Slumbering Weald. 

The forest looked just like they remembered the first time they went. Dark grasses poked out of the ground, hiding the various small Pokemon around them. Tall trees with massive branches shielded the forest from sunlight, leaving only speckles of light on the ground. Fog swirled around the three, but it wasn't thick. Overall, the weald was quiet, with only the occasional chirp or chatter from the wild Pokemon. 

"Do you guys think the fog will get thicker? Like the last time we were here?" Gloria asked. 

"Maybe," Hop replied. "But we'll be okay. Like I said, mate, we have Pokemon! And they're much stronger than the last time we were here."

"We'll be fine, Gloria." Victor slowed down to pat her shoulder in a comforting manner. "And if anything happens to you, I'll protect you!"

"Thank you, Victor." Gloria put her hand on top of his. "But I don't need you to baby me."

"But you're my baby sister!"

"We're _twins,_ Victor."

"Mom said I was born first, which makes me older."

Hop couldn't help but laugh. "That does make him older!"

"By a few minutes," Gloria snorted. "It means nothing."

"Hey…" Victor and Gloria quit bickering to look at Hop. "I think the fog's getting thicker."

Gloria squinted her eyes. "You're right. We could see everything before, but now we can only see a few meters in front of us."

"Remember that Pokemon we saw?" Victor asked. "Is it still in the weald?"

"Maybe it lives here, and it sets up this fog to try and deter people," Gloria said. "If that were the case, it's not going to work now—we have to find the kid."

"Come on, Monoceros!" Gloria out sent her Rapidash. "Light up your mane and tail, allow us to see."

Monoceros whinnied. His pastel mane and tail shined brightly, making a small area of light around the Pokemon. 

"Good thinking, Gloria!" Hop grinned. 

"We're looking for a little boy who got lost here," Gloria told Monoceros. "Can you take the lead, and call back to us when you see something?"

Monoceros nodded. He walked forward, holding his head up high while looking around in the light he provided. Gloria followed him, who was tailed by Victor and Hop. 

"Do you think we'll be able to find our way back?" Hop whispered. 

"We've only been going straight so far," Victor said. "If we don't have that many turns, then we'll be able to come back."

"We can also see in the fog, since we have light." Gloria gestured to the Rapidash in front of her. "Look around, find points of interest."

"Only trees and grass here, mate." Hop but his arms behind his head. "What's interesting about that?"

Gloria chuckles a little. "You know what I mean."

Suddenly, Monoceros stopped. He whinnied again, turning himself around to nudge Gloria. 

"What did you find?" Gloria ran ahead of her Pokemon. 

She could already hear something: sniffling. Gloria slowed down to a walk, motioning Monoceros to walk by her side. A few steps in, and they found a boy curled up on the ground, silently crying. His clothes were a little dirty, but he didn't seem like he was starved. 

Victor ran up to where his sister was. When he saw the boy, his face fell. "Poor guy, he looks like he's been in here for a few hours."

The boy looked up at them. His eyes were glossy with built up tears. He blinked a bit before his hands covered his eyes again and he continued to cry. 

"Hey! It's okay!" Hop whispered, kneeling down by the boy's side. "We've got you, it's okay. We're gonna take you home, alright mate?"

The boy stopped crying. He looked to Hop, then Victor, then Gloria, and finally, Monoceros. His expression brightened up seeing the Pokemon. 

Hop helps the boy stand up and he slowly walks over to the Rapidash. "U-um…c-can I…"

Monoceros lowers his head to nuzzle the boy. He giggles a little, patting the Rapidash on the side of the head. 

"Aww." Hop smiled at the sight. "That's so cute. It's time we get back-"

"Wait." Gloria freezed, looking around. "Do you hear that?"

Everyone was silent. Then, they heard it—soft, quiet footsteps that were getting closer and closer. Victor, Hop, and Gloria got close to each other while Monoceros huddled the boy closer to his body. Victor grabbed onto Gloria's hand, squeezing it. She squeezed back. 

The footsteps stopped. In front of the group were two silhouettes, far enough in the fog for Monoceros's light not to reach them. Victor could make out a magenta shape and a cyan shape, each with glowing yellow eyes. The silhouettes did not waver. They continued to stare. The only movement from them was a little bob of the eyes, something like a nod or a scan. Then, as quickly as they appeared, the eyes and colors disappeared. 

* * *

“Time really does by by fast, huh?” Victor asked Gloria and Hop as they all walked up Route 1 together.

“Yeah, I can’t believe a week just went like that.” Hop snaps at the last word. “But hey, look at the bright side! We’ll be fighting in the Champion Cup soon!”

“You’ve been talking about that all _week!_ ” Gloria groaned slightly. 

“Sorry mate, I’m just really excited!” Hop didn’t seem sorry at all.

“It’s fine, just a little...repetitive.” Gloria sighed. "I'm also worried about our home here, in Postwick. If one of us does become champion, what will happen to it?"

"I feel ya, mate," Hop said to her. "When Lee became the champion, he was hardly home at all. Our mom didn't seem to mind taking care of the house herself."

"I just hope mom won't take it badly."

"Nonsense! If you or Victor became the champion, I'm sure she'd be proud of you two."

“Race you guys to the Pokemon Center?” Victor nudged Hop and his sister.

“We aren’t in any rush to get to Wedgehurst-” But Gloria’s words fell on deaf ears.

Hop and Victor were already sprinting towards the town.

“ _God dammit,_ ” she hissed under her breath. Placing a hand on her hat, she chased after the boys.

Hop and Victor ran into Wedgehurst at around the same time. The two dug their feet into the ground to stop themselves from running up the road to Route 2. Both of them were tired, gasping for air, and had dumb smiles on their faces. 

"My finger was in Wedgehurst first, which makes me the winner," Victor said. 

"No it wasn't! We tied," Hop countered. 

"Sounds like something a loser would say." Victor smirked. 

"Well you sound desperate to win!"

"You're _both_ desperate!" Gloria growled as she jogged into Wedgehurst. 

"Don't be a sore loser, sis." Victor and Hop chuckled. 

"I wasn't even- Ugh fine. Whatever. Let's just get to the Pokemon Center." She pushed ahead of the guys, taking the lead for the Pokemon Center. 

The three then entered through the bright red doors. Nurse Joy waved at them, smiling warmly. "Welcome!"

They all lined up to get their Pokemon healed. Each of their teams took a few seconds to heal. 

"We hope to see you again!"

"Man, it's a good thing technology is so advanced, huh?" Victor whispered to his companions. 

"And cheap, too," Gloria added. "We don't have to pay."

"You gotta pay in Spikemuth," Hop said. "It's still pretty cheap over there."

"Did 'cha hear m'bout the ol' weald?" Came an old man's voice, speaking to an older woman at one of the tables in the Pokemon Center. 

"Oh no! What happened?"

"Some lads went off 'n wandered into the place! Y'know that boy that got lost m'bout a week ago? Yeah, well I assumed no one else wanted 'a wander off! They're gonna get lost, didn't seem like they were locals."

Hop, Gloria, and Victor exchanged glances. 

"Well I hope someone finds them! Like those kids that found the boy!"

The three left promptly after. 

"More people are wandering into Slumbering Weald? Don't they listen to all the warnings?" Gloria let out a heavy sigh. "Apparently not."

"We gotta help them," Victor said. 

"No! We shouldn't have to go back in there!" Gloria quickly objected. "By the way that old man was talking, they weren't little boys! They could've actually understood where they were going and if they get lost, it shouldn't be our problem."

"But they could've been tourists! They don't usually know where they're going!"

"What about those Pokemon, Victor? Those blurred shapes with the yellow eyes, what if they won't tolerate us trespassing in their domain again?"

"I think we should go," Hop spoke up. "I have a really, _really_ bad feeling about staying here and doing nothing."

Gloria opened her mouth to argue, but she shut it quickly. "Fine. Let's go."

Monoceros took the lead again. His mane lit up, acting like a lantern for his trainer and her squad. 

"It's not nearly as foggy as the last time we were here," Victor observed. "I can see past Monoceros's light."

"It could be that we're not deep enough into the weald yet," Hop replied. "The fog gets thicker deeper into the forest."

"I know, but I feel like it was thicker before. It just feels…I don't know."

"Weird? Yeah, I can agree, it does feel a little strange."

"How long have we been walking?"

"Not longer than thirty minutes," said Gloria. "If I were guess, we've been walking for-"

A loud howl cut her off. The group froze, aside from Monoceros's head, which swung from side to side anxiously. 

Gloria was quick to give reassuring strokes on the snout of her Rapidash, speaking in hushed tones and giving him comforting words. 

"We have to see what that was!" Hop was ready to rush off, but he was stopped by Gloria grabbing onto his shoulder. 

" _Slowly!_ " She was still speaking quietly. "We don't want to rush into that sound, it could be dangerous and very stupid."

Hop stayed silent for once. He nodded knowingly, walking ahead. Victor followed behind him, who was followed by Gloria and Monoceros.

The howls got louder the longer the group walked. Growls, snarls, and barking were part of the horrific chorus of aggression. Even voices were heard shouting.

Hop stiffened. He creeped up a grassy road, often looking back to Victor and Gloria to check if they were behind him. The fog was slowly thinning out. Victor started holding his breath. 

Eventually, the fog cleared completely. Hop’s eyes widened.

The fog was hiding some ancient stone ruins surrounded by water, but Hop wasn’t paying attention to the scenery.

Pressed up against the stone pillars were two fairly large wolf-like Pokemon. One was mainly cyan with long, draping fur. Light orange braids swung around by the side of the Pokemon’s head. Small wing-like fur stuck up on the Pokemon’s shoulders. It had a long, flat tail which swept up dust as it snarled, rearing forward at a shadowed attacker with its black claws. Next to the cyan Pokemon was a magenta wolf. It prefered to huddle closer to its companion, taking swipes at a second attacker if they got too close. The magenta wolf had a bushy mane and tail, which were bristled out of fear and aggression. The Pokemon’s front paws were shielded by blue shields. The ruffles of fur around the magenta wolf’s neck bunched up into protective armor. Both Pokemon were missing the tips of their ears and their bodies were scarred by claw marks.

The attackers seemed to get tired of using force, so they sent out their own Pokemon. The shadow closer to the cyan wolf sent out a Golisopod while the other sent out a Failinks.

The two wolves attempted to flee there, but powerful strikes from their opponents didn’t allow them to move very far. Their lips were drawn back in snarls as they gashed their teeth threateningly. The attackers didn’t seem deterred.

“I’ve had enough!” Hop whisper-yelled to his companions. He steps out of the fog, grabbing onto one of his Pokeballs and stretching his shoulder. His Inteleon glides down in front of him and with a single point, the Inteleon kneeled down, locking its eyes on the Golisopod and firing a Snipe Shot at it before its next attack.

The Golisopod didn’t see the move coming. When the attack collided, it immediately stumbled over, losing its footing and nearly falling into the water around them. The cyan wolf looked curiously in the direction where the Snipe Shot came from.

Victor and Gloria were quick to join in. Monoceros’s horn glowed a light purple before he swung his head to the side, launching a Psycho Cut at the Failinks. Victor sent out his own Pokemon, Strike (his Boltund), who sprinted forwards and chomped down hard on a segment of the Failinks line with a Thunder Fang.

The attackers were alarmed. They looked away from the wolves and saw the kids.

“Sorry, mate,” said Hop. “But we’re not gonna let you do this!”

His Inteleon fired another Snipe Shot at the Golisopod. Since Golisopod was such a bulky Pokemon, it couldn’t move out of the way in time. The jet of water collided into its core. The stream was too powerful and precise for it to withstand, so it fell back into the water.

As for the Failinks, it couldn’t keep up with defending against more Psycho Cuts and Thunder Fangs. It quickly became too worn out to battle. Each individual started to roll over from weariness, forcing its trainer to recall it.

Gloria opened her mouth to speak, but she shut it as the other attacker retreated their Pokemon then bolted into the fog with their partner. 

“Did...either of you see who they were?” Victor asked, returning Strike.

Gloria shook her head. “Unfortunately, no.”

“Hey, are you two alright?” Hop returned his Inteleon, looking up at the two dogs.

Their expressions were calm. Both of them gave a subtle nod to Hop, but there were no more growls, snarls, and howls. The cyan wolf seemed particularly interested in Hop, holding his gaze much longer than the magenta one.

“Say…” Victor stroked his chin a little. “Don’t these two sort of look like those wolf statues in Stow-on-Side? With the heroes of Galar? The sword and the shield?”

Both Pokemon perked up at the mention of “sword and shield.”

“Could it be…?” Gloria stepped closer to the Pokemon. “The heroes of Galar?”

The wolves looked at eachother, then back to the trainers. The cyan wolf padded closer to Hop, sniffing at his clothes. Hop stayed completely still, letting the legend get as close as they desired.

Victor squeezed himself between Hop and Gloria. He slowly reached a hand out towards the magenta wolf.

Gloria looked alarmed, but to her relief, the magenta wolf didn’t snap at her brother. Instead, it slowly reached its head out to connect with Victor’s hand. He smiled a little, patting the wolf’s forehead.

“Do they like us?” Hop wondered. 

The magenta wolf barked.

“I think they do!” Victor got more eager in petting the Pokemon.

The cyan wolf sniffed at Hop’s Pokeballs. He placed a hand on them instinctively, and the cyan wolf moved their head back. They didn’t flinch, but rather, they stood there, as if waiting for something.

“Do you want me to catch you?”

The wolf didn’t stir.

“Um...do you want to battle?”

They seemed more pleased with that question.

“Heh...alright then. Go, Dubwool!”

Victor was still giving pats and scratches to the magenta wolf, who absorbed all the affection like a sponge.

“They really seem to like you, Victor,” said Gloria.

“Yeah!” He chuckled a little as the wolf pressed up against him more. “What a fun Pokemon. I’m going to miss you.”

The wolf blinked at Victor, as if it didn’t understand what he was saying.

“They have a region to protect, don’t they?” Gloria looked at the Pokemon.

The wolf whined.

“Do you...want to follow me?”

The wolf’s tail wagged.

Victor smiled. He takes his bag off of his shoulders, digging around in it before he finds a Pokeball, offering it to the wolf. They quickly press the button with their nose, going inside and staying inside with all three shakes.

His rotom phone flew out of his pocket, alerting him to obtaining new Pokemon data.

“Zama...zenta…? Wow, that really is a name of legends.” Victor looked down at the Pokemon. “But I think I’m going to call him Prince. He’s like a royal himself.”

“Good name,” Gloria said.

“Dubwool! Body Slam!” Hop’s voice cut into their conversation.

Hop was grinning from ear to ear as he commanded his partner Pokemon. The Dubwool looked a little tired, but it seemed like it was having fun. As for the cyan wolf, it looked cool and calculated, jumping out of the way of the Dubwool.

“Again!”

Dubwool’s hooves planted on the stone around them with a click _._ He quickly sprang up again, hurling himself at the legendary with all of its power. That time, the wolf couldn’t move out of the way, taking the hit with a small grunt.

In Hop’s hand was an Ultra Ball. “Let’s go!” He throws the Ultra Ball, which taps to the side of the legendary. It goes inside. One...two...three...caught. Hop walks towards the ball and picks it up. “I caught myself a…!”

His rotom phone alerts him.

“Zacian!” Hop looked around. “Where’d the other one go?”

“Victor caught him,” Gloria explained. “He really wanted to join Victor so he just went into a Pokeball.”

“That’s nice.” Hop was still smiling. He put the Ultra Ball away and put his arms behind his head. “It’s a good thing we got here, huh?”

“Yeah! We chased off some bad guys and got us some legendaries!” Victor was quick to respond.

“You two really like taking risks, huh?” Gloria gently pat Monoceros on the neck, who took the lead out of the Slumbering Weald.

“Yeah,” Hop said. “But you know what they say: high risk, high reward.”

"Sure, but if you and Victor keep facing danger head-on like this, someone's going to get seriously hurt."

"We're always fine by the end of it, Gloria," Victor told her. "We're helping people and Pokemon, what could go wrong?"

" _A lot_ of things _._ "

* * *

" _And Zacian uses Behemoth Blade! It's not very effective, but Prince is not looking good!_ _This is truly a legendary battle! Will Victor be able to come back from these vicious blows?_ "

The crowd went wild with approval. Hundreds of thousands of people were seated all around the grand Wyndon Stadium. TVs placed on the two short ends of the stadium played clips from the cameras scattered all around the stadium. Hop's Zacian struck against Prince's shield. Dust picked up, scattering all over the field, temporarily obscuring the view of the battle. Prince let out a small growl, but he otherwise shook off the attack. Zacian leapt back, landing on all four paws. She kept her head low, glaring at her opponent. 

"Use Behemoth Bash!" Victor shouted to Prince. "Don't stop until you hit her!"

Prince nodded. The shield extensions on the sides of his neck fluttered as he pointed his head up towards the sun. His shield fully flexed out, and he let out a sound similar to a roar. He then sprinted forward towards Zacian, moving so fast he became a blur of blue, gold, and magenta. 

Zacian sprang off of the ground to avoid the initial crash. Her "wings" split through the air, propelling her up quickly, yet they helped to slow her fall down to safely land. 

Prince seemed to know this. He charged to where Zacian originally stood. He then maneuvered his feet to pivot around completely. He ran into the other direction, and by the time Zacian landed, Prince was able to ram into her side. 

Zacian howled. She was launched up into the air, but she could twist her body to land on all fours. 

" _Ouch! Zacian did not take that blow lightly! But despite that, she still stands taller than Prince! Will Hop triumph, or will Victor outplay him? This match is intense and exciting, folks! You can't even blink!_ ”

“Zacian! Are you okay?” Hop breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her nod. “Okay. Behemoth Blade! Give it all you’ve got!”

Zacian lifted her head, waiting for energy to gather up into her sword. The blade almost doubled in size and glowed a light blue color. She locks eyes with her opponent before leaping towards him, craning her neck back to strike against the shield with all of her might. She slashes across Prince’s face and shield before landing, causing an explosion which kicked up dust all around her.

The audience gasped.

“ _What a blow! We can’t even see the battle! Will Prince remain standing? Or is he unable to go on?_ ”

The dust settled down. Prince was still standing, but his legs were wobbling. He swayed from side to side until he, all of a sudden, came crashing down.

“ _And Prince is unable to battle! The winner of this match is Zacian! Thing are looking pretty bad for Victor. He’s only got one Pokemon left, folks! Will he turn the tide, or will Hop stay on top?_ ”

Victor returned Prince. He murmured something to the Pokeball, but the microphones couldn’t catch what he was saying. Fresh vigor washed over his eyes as he unclipped the last Pokeball on his belt. “Go! Akrose!”

Out from the ball emerged a Sandaconda. She hissed ferociously, snapping her jaws in Zacian’s direction.

“ _Challenger Victor sends out Akrose! She has an advantage over Zacian, but will that be enough?_ ”

Victor recalls Akrose into her Pokeball. Dynamax energy from his band swirled around the Pokeball, increasing its size. He grinned a bit, throwing the Pokeball into the space behind him.

Akrose not only grew in size, but her shape changed. She was even longer and mor coiled up, standing on the tip of her tail. A sandstorm surrounded her as she roared, gaining more health and energy than her standard form.

“ _Victor decided to Gigantamax! This battle has gotten super intense!_ ”

“G-Max Sandblast!”

Akrose swiftly burrowed her way under the stadium. Zacian hardly had any time to react before Akrose burst out of the ground, knocking Zacian up with immense force. Large splinters of stone also shot up, colliding with Zacian while she was still in the air.

Zacian, being already low in health and energy, couldn’t take the attack. She fell down, slamming onto the ground, limp with exhaustion. Hop had to return her.

“You did really good,” Hop murmured to the Pokeball. “Take this rest, you’ve earned it.” He looked up to Victor with a large grin. “So! It’s the final showdown, huh?”

“I’m coming in with the win!” Victor responded.

“We’ll see about that! Corviknight, let’s go!”

The bird screeched the moment he was sent out. 

“ _This is it, folks! The final showdown! Who will claim victory in the semifinals?_ ”

“Corviknight….Gigantamax!” Hop returned his Pokemon, letting the Pokeball swell up in size before throwing it back onto the field. Corviknight’s wings grew; red metal feathers were speckled into his massive wingspan. He seemed to create his own lift. His metallic roar boomed throughout the stadium.

“ _Akrose’s ground type attacks won’t do a thing to Corviknight! But surely, Victor must have some tricks up his sleeve! We’ll see how this battle plays out, folks!_ ”

“Max Rockfall! Don’t give him a chance to attack!”

“Quick! Counter with a Max Steelspike!”

Akrose raised a large slab of rock from the ground, sending it crashing towards Corviknight. In return, he made steel spikes erupt from the floor, which pierced through the rock before it crushed him. 

“You got it! Now, G-Max Wind Rage!”

Gusts of wind swirled around in front of Corviknight. A few of its sharp, blade-like feathers were added into the mix, sending a tornado of wind and steel towards Akrose.

She hissed as the wind and bladed feathers battered her, but she did not fall down.

“Max Rockfall! Again! Don’t let him see it coming!”

“Counter it!”

But Akrose didn’t attack immediately. She snapped her jaws a few times, staring down Corviknight. Tension filled the air.

“ _What are Akrose and Victor thinking? What is their plan?_ ”

Eventually, Hop caved in. “It’s like they’re skipping their turn. G-Max Windrage!”

“Now!”

While Corviknight was gathering wind and feathers, Akrose rose another piece of rock from the ground. She pushed her body against it, driving the rock with more force to crash down on her opponent. Corviknight didn’t see it coming at all.

The rock shattered on top of him. The dust particles kicked up a sandstorm, obscuring a lot of the battle for the audience, but the read aura from the Gigantamaxed Pokemon shone through the sand.

“ _Shield your eyes, folks! It looks like a sandstorm has kicked in!_ ”

“Gah! You got me there, mate!”

Victor said nothing.

“No matter! We’re still gliding! Max Steelspike!"

Corviknight's eyes were shielded from the grains of sand. His eyes narrowed and he cried out, raising more spikes from the ground. His aim was perfect. 

Akrose hissed when the spike dug up into her body. She wouldn't fall down, but she seemed to be getting close to it. 

"Max Rockfall, again! You can take him out!"

Akrose, fueled by determination and frustration, let out a primordial sounding roar. A larger plate of rock erupted from the ground. She slammed into the slab, sending it crashing over Corviknight.

" _It's a critical hit, folks! Corviknight and Akrose both look terribly worn out! The intensity is absolutely insane! I'm eager to find out who will win this memorable fight!_ "

"Finish him with a Max Knuckle!"

"G-Max Windrage!"

Both Pokemon fired their moves at the same time.

An explosion erupted in the stadium. One of them had fallen, but with the raging sand and the smoke from the explosion, it was difficult for anyone in the audience to determine who had lost.

" _Someone has lost! The sandstorm refuses to clear! I am on the edge of my seat, folks! Who has won?_ "

Red light broke through the sand on Hop's side of the field. Cameras zoomed into the battle. Corviknight's armor shown through.

Akrose was nowhere to be found.

" _Oh my lord! Akrose has fallen! Which means that challenger Hop is the winner!_ "

The crowd broke out in screams and cheers.

The sandstorm subsided since the battle was over. Hop stood tall, looking up at the crowd around him while Corviknight made a victory screech.

"I...won!" Hop grinned brightly. "I get to…!" He looked over to where Victor was.

Victor didn't look so happy. More importantly, he didn't look very comfortable.

Hop walked to him. "Hey mate...it was a good match. I could've horribly lost that match."

Victor smiled at Hop sheepishly.

Hop grabbed onto his wrist, raising it up for the audience to see.

" _Let's celebrate the challengers for a wonderful battle, folks!_ "

Hop and Victor escaped into the locker room. 

Victor breathed out a long sigh. "Man...that was really intense."

"Yeah! Good battle, again. You're a great rival."

"Thanks, Hop. I'm just...nervous.

"About what?"

"Everyone was _watching_. I didn't feel bothered during battle, but when it was over, I felt like…" Victor pulled a hand over his face. "I felt like I lost my distraction from the crowd. Now they're all going to remember me as a loser forever."

"That's not true, Victor." Hop, who had been standing in front of Victor, sat down beside him. "They're not gonna point and laugh at you every time you walk around, if that's what you're thinking. You're not gonna get overwhelmed with bad attention for one loss." Hop put a hand on his shoulder. "They'll remember you for getting so far. Nobody made fun of Gloria when you beat her, right?"

Victor nodded.

"They're not gonna do the same to you. Trust me, mate. Everyone that lost to Lee doesn't go down in history as the ultimate losers. The attention stays on him.

"The crowd still loves you, whether you win or lose. They saw us as rivals and as long as we keep clashing, that's all they're going to remember us for. Even if we stop battling and growing, they're still more attached to your accomplishments than your failures. 

"Winners or losers, we're still shining stars, not some burnt out joke."

"Thanks for that, Hop." Victor looked at him. He was still a little sheepish, but his eyes were much brighter. "Good luck tomorrow. I think you can win against your brother and set a brand new record."

"Heh. Thanks, mate."

* * *

Hop took glances into the mirror. The light in the bathroom was bright, overpowering any shadows present. He couldn't look in the mirror for more than a few seconds.

"So, tomorrow's the big day, huh?" he murmured to his reflection. "I'm going to fight my own brother, my _undefeatable_ brother."

"Is it even possible to defeat him?" He shook his head quickly. "Of course it is! Nobody's perfect."

"But…" His eyes drift up towards his reflection. His shoulders are tense. His arms and hands are placed on the sink counter, holding up most of his body weight. His eyes squeezed shut and his head dropped down. "...is it possible for _me_ to beat him?"

"I'm not the best battler." He laughed a bit as his own brutal honesty. "I mean, back in Stow-on-Side, Bede wiped the floor with me! Man, was that embarrassing. And in Circhester! I couldn't beat that gym the first couple of times. Other trainers had no problem! Besides, Victor and Gloria never lost to Bede.

"Speaking of them...I may have won against them this time, but is that enough? Both of them beat me, too. On several occasions! Of course I might've won a few times, but they're so few and far inbetween...is that good enough?

"I only won against Victor because of a few lucky shots! He had it all planned out in his head. If I can fall for simple traps like him just _waiting_ , can I even match Lee's battling brilliance?"

His hands clench.

"Why am I any different from anyone that tried to fight him? Just because I'm his brother? Does that really make me better? I don't know if it does. I'm in his shadow, I've never been good enough for him.

"I've lost so easily...I drag him and his name down."

Tears built up at the edges of his eyes. He wipes them away from his eyes, chuckling a little. 

"He'll sweep me, like he did with all the other challengers. He'll be disappointed that I'm just like everyone else he fought, and I'll be done and over with."

He lifts his head up.

"Wait...what did I tell Victor? I told him that nobody pays much attention to the negatives...only the positives…

"What am I doing? I'm a bit hypocritical, aren't I?"

He chuckled a little.

"Well, not anymore. And speaking of Victor, he said he believed in me. I can't let him down, I _won't_ let him down!"

He smiled at what he saw in the mirror. His hands lift up off the sink counter.

"I'm coming for you, Lee! We're going to fight, and I am going to _win!_ Everyone's already thrown their all at me and I still managed to pull through! You might be a little tougher, but I'll still get pass you."

Hop then left the bathroom with all the confidence and dignity in the world.

* * *

Hop paced around anxiously the locker room. He couldn’t stand still and calm down.

“Look at me now, brother! Never thought in a million years I’d ever get so far…” he murmured to himself. “We’re going to fight, and I’m going to win…!”

He sighed. “What am I even saying? I sound ridiculous.” He finally sat down on one of the benches. “I don’t want to _not_ say anything, but I don’t want to embarrass myself either!”

He rested his elbows on his legs and clasped his hands together. “You don’t need to overthink this, Hop. Just...say something…?” He buried his face in his hands. “This is a lot harder than I thought it’d be…”

“Challenger Hop.” One of the Marcos Cosmos employees walked into the locker room. “The battle will commence when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready!” Hop stood up quickly. “Sorry, I was just…”

The Marcos Cosmos employee didn’t seem to want to hear it. They began walking towards the pitch.

Hop followed. He was trembling and sweating bullets. 

“I’ll be okay,” he whispered to himself quietly enough for the employee not to hear him. “I won’t lose.”

Hop walked out to the center of Wyndon Stadium, meeting up with Leon in the middle.

The massive crowd around them cheered wildly. They were evenly split; half of them rooted for Leon, the other half wanted to see Hop win.

Leon smiled at his brother. “You made it! You know, it makes me real proud to see you here.”

“I’m...I’m glad to be here!” 

“You’ve earned this match, Hop. You’ve come so far and Galar’s on the edge of their seat with anticipation! The tension is in the air, you can just feel it.

“It’s a wonderful feeling, but at the same time, a pity. The crowd wants to see one of us lose. You may be my little brother, but that won’t mean I’m going easy on you!”

“You better not!” Hop takes a step forward, but quickly moves back again. “Come on, Lee! Let’s battle! I promise that I won’t lose!”

“Excited, are we? Well, me too. I don’t think I can wait any longer—let’s bring this battle down in Galar’s history!”

The two brothers walked to the opposite sides of the field, Pokeballs in hand. 

The crowd broke out in roars.

“Dragapult! Use Thunderbolt!” Leon pointed towards the opposing Inteleon.

“Come back, Inteleon!” Hop retrieved his Pokemon.

“Oh? What’s this for?”

“Go! Pinchurchin!”

The spiny little Pokemon flopped out onto the field. As Dragapult crackled with electricity and fired it out, it was all sucked up by Pinchurchin. No damage was done to the little Pokemon.

Leon chuckled. “Clever!”

“ _It seems like Challenger Hop was able to predict Champion Leon! What a play!_ ”

“Alright Pinchurchin, Poison Jab!”

“Don’t you know that’s not very effective?”

“Yeah.”

It was a hilarious sight, seeing the tiny Pinchurchin leap up from the stadium ground and hurling itself towards the much larger Dragapult. The venomous spines stabbed into the Dragapult’s hide. She then rolled off, returning to the spot it was originally in.

Dragapult didn’t look so good. While the damage was minimal, signs of poison were apparent. He grunted as the poison sapped his health and energy.

“You’re full of surprises, aren’t you Hop? Well, we aren’t finished here. Use Shadow Ball!”

Dragapult opened his jaws. A sphere of spiritual energy formed outside before it was launched at Pinchurchin. She was too slow to dodge.

“Are you alright?” Hop asked her. She wiggled in response. “Great. Recover!”

Pinchurchin absorbed whatever energy she could around her. She immediately seemed refreshed, wiggling around a bit more aggressively.

“Shadow Ball! Again! She can’t heal forever!”

Dragapult growled. He threw another Shadow Ball at Pinchurchin while poison chipped away at him more.

Pinchurchin didn’t take the hit well. One attack, and she could no longer battle. Her spikes dropped a little.

“ _Oh my! That was a critical hit, folks!_ ”

Hop returned Pinchurchin. “You did really great, but I think the rest of us can take it from here. Go! Inteleon!”

The lizard chattered a bit as he was sent out. He landed down on the field with grace and elegance, earning cheers from the crowd.

“Back again? Well, you know what I say. Super effective hits are a surefire way to claim victory. Thunderbolt-!”

“Inteleon! Use Sucker Punch!” 

Inteleon dashed away in a blink of an eye. In the next moment, he was right up in Dragapults face as he started to crackle. Inteleon then smacked Dragapult down.

With the poison and sudden surprise attack, Dragapult could no longer stay afloat. He dropped down, kicking up dust when he hit the ground. Leon had to return him.

“I must say, I’m really impressed with your strategies, Hop! They’re really something to learn from.” Leon threw out his next Pokeball. He had sent out Venusaur.

“Wow, I thought you just had Charizard,” Hop admitted. “I didn’t know you had more of those Kanto starters!”

“Cool, right? Anyways, let’s get battling!”

“Ice Beam!”

Inteleon aimed the tip of his finger at Venusaur. Ice crystals built up around his finger before firing of directly at her.

“ _It’s super effective! But what will our champion Leon do?_ ”

“Use Leech Seed!”

Venusaur roared. Several seeds shout out from her flower, landing all around Inteleon. The seeds immediately grew up and started to tangle themselves around him.

“Gah...Ice Beam, again!”

Inteleon rose his arm up again, but the vines from Leech Seed kept it down. He spat in frustration, desperately trying to lift his arm, but he couldn’t quite aim. The Ice Beam shot off behind Venusaur.

“ _Inteleon’s all tangled up! Will he be able to endure what Leon has in store for him?_ ”

“Venusaur, use Solar Beam!”

She started gathering up the sun’s energy. Since the sunlight was moderate, she needed to wait another turn in order to attack.

“Slip through, Inteleon! Then try another Ice Beam!”

Inteleon did have slippery skin. Moisture built up on the outer layer of his skin. With his thin body, he slithered out of the entalging Leech Seed. Since his energy was sapped before, his movements were a little sluggish, but he still squirmed out. With his freedom, he shot an Ice Beam directly at Venusaur.

“We’re still standing! Now, Solar Beam!”

All charged up, the energy Venusaur absorbed floated up into the sky. It was almost like the sun itself, shooting down a bright green ray towards Inteleon.

The light was blinding. Inteleon didn’t know where to move, so he was struck. The attack was far too powerful for him to withstand. He fell down, knocked out.

“ _Inteleon is unable to battle! That leaves Challenger Hop with only two more Pokemon! But Venusaur is weakened, perhaps he can even the scores!_ ”

“Come on, Zacian! I know you can do it!”

Zacian landed gracefully on the battlefield. She howled clearly, despite the massive sword in her mouth.

“Venusaur, use Leech Seed!”

“Not so fast! Avoid it, Zacian!”

Venusaur fired more seeds from her flower. In response, Zacian jumped out of the way while the seeds were falling towards where she had stood. The sprouting plants coiled up uselessly with each other.

"Don't you know that the same tricks don't work twice?"

"Yes Hop. I am aware of that. But you see, it wasn't the same trick! Sleep Powder!"

While Zacian was up in the air, it was harder for her to dodge. Venusaur scattered the spores in Zacian's direction. She tried to hold her breath, but eventually, she gasped. The spores took effect immediately, making her drowsy where she stood. Her head dropped and her eyes shut. 

" _Venusaur has put Zacian to sleep! It looks like Challenger Hop is in a tough spot!_ "

"Zacian! You have to wake up!" Hop called out to her. She didn't stir.

"Now Venusaur, use Leech Seed!" Another scattering of seeds entangled up Zacian. The plants slowly drained her health to recover Venusaur's.

"Wake up! Please!"

Zacian remained still.

"Prepare a Solar Beam!"

" _Zacian!_ " Hop sounded desperate. 

Zacian's eyes then snapped open.

" _She has awoken, folks! What will she and Hop do now?_ "

"Get yourself out of there! Then strike them with a Behemoth Blade!"

Zacian swung her sword around, chopping off the entangling plants from her body with ease. She growled, raising her blade up to the sky and allowed it to collect energy until it shined a brilliant blue color. She then sprinted forward, slashing Venusaur with her blade before landing in front of her target. An explosion of dust went off behind her.

Venusaur fainted. In her weakened state, she couldn't have stood strong against such a powerful move. Leon returned her.

"I can tell Zacian really likes you," Leon said as he sent out Blastoise. "She really pulls through for you."

Hop smiled.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge it, then use Wild Charge!"

"Turn your back on her!"

Blastoise first fired off his Hydro Pump, which Zacian dashed out of the way for. She pivoted her body towards Blastoise and surrounded herself with electricity. She then ran forward. Blastoise lumbered around, turning his tough shell to her. The electric shocks still hurt him, but the damage was reduced. Zacian still received recoil damage.

" _What an exciting back and forth!_ "

"Zacian! Hit him with a Sacred Sword!"

"Stop her with Hydro Pump!"

Zacian's sword became a glowing burgundy color. She charged forward while Blastoise shot Hydro Pumps at her. She zigzagged out of the way of each blast, but just as she was about to slice down with her Sacred Sword, Blastoise's Hydro Pump hit her at point blank range. She was shot backwards, flipping through the air as she twisted her body to land on her feet. She shook the water out of her fur.

"Zacian, are you okay?" She nodded to Hop. "That's good. Let's try again!"

"Use Flash Cannon!"

Metal fragments built up near Blastoise's mouth before he fired them off as a beam. Zacian rolled out of the way, jumping off of the ground to strike Blastoise from above. He could hardly crane his neck up to look at Zacian as she slashed at him from head to toe.

"Good job! Keep up the pressure!"

"Don't let her intimidate you! Deflect her with your shell!"

Blastoise turned his backside to face Zacian. She made attempts to circle around to his front, but he followed her every movement. 

"Jump off his shell!"

Zacian leapt forward. Her paws pressed off against Blastoise's shell. Confused, he sidestepped to watch her.

"Wild Charge!"

From the air, Zacian surrounded herself with electricity. In a blinding speed, she fell down to slam into Blastoise. She was too fast for him to react. 

Blastoise fell down, unable to battle anymore.

“ _Oh my! Zacian has taken down two Pokemon! But now, folks, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for! Will Hop be able to overcome the power of Leon’s famous Charizard?_ ”

Charizard roars, spitting flames the moment he was sent out.

“We can do this, Zacian,” Hop said to her. “We aren’t alone. We still have Corviknight in our party and he only has Charizard left!”

Zacian howled after Hop spoke.

“ _Both Pokemon look like they’re eager to fight! This matchup is bound to be interesting, so don’t look away for a second!_ ”

“Charizard, use Ancient Power!”

“Deflect with Sacred Sword!”

Charizard roared. Rocks floated around him before they were chucked toward Zacian. Her sword glowed again as she slashed through the rocks, cutting them each in half to land uselessly behind her.

“Great, now use Crunch!”

“Hold her back with an Air Slash!”

Charizard’s wings crossed, creating pressurized blades of air that shot off to Zacian. She sidestepped and jumped towards Charizard with a disembodied image of jaws. The jaws bit down hard on Charizard’s shoulder.

“ _Zacian cannot be stopped! She runs like the wind and there’s nothing holding her back! Charizard’s defense has gone down! It was a surprise attack!_ ”

“Nice work, Hop,” Leon smirked a little. “But they don’t call me _unbeatable_ for nothing. Flamethrower!”

Charizard’s neck craned around. His small arm held tightly onto Zacian to slow her escape as she tried to jump back from the move. The flames hit her dead on.

Zacian howled, skipping back when she was freed. Little embers flew off of her.

“ _Ouch! Zacian’s been burned! How will she handle it?_ ”

“Give it your all, Zacian. I’m real proud of you...Behemoth Blade!”

Zacian rose her head up higher than before. Her blade grew larger and she sped towards Charizard twice as fast.  
“Avoid it!” Leon shouted at Charizard. A threat of panic laced in his voice.

Charizard flew up, but Zacian leaped to follow him. She crashed into Charizard with her sparking form before the last of her energy was used up. She fell back down to the ground of the stadium, lying down in exhaustion.

“ _Zacian is unable to battle! She overexerted herself! Charizard took the hit rather fine! The burn must’ve cut down the damage!_ ”

“Return.” Hop held out his Ultra Ball. He nods a bit to his Zacian. “You were excellent, but Corviknight will take it from here.”

When Corviknight was sent out, he puffed his chest. He let out a mighty screech. 

The crowd grew more intense. The cheers for Hop and Leon grew louder and louder.

“Well, are you ready for the final show, Hop?” Leon held out Charizard’s Pokeball.

“You bet I am!”

Both trainers returned their Pokemon. Dynamax energy swelled up the size of their Pokeballs before they threw the Pokemon behind them. Simultaneously, Corviknight and Charizard shifted forms and sizes.

“Max Rockfall!” Leon commanded.

“Break it apart with Max Steelspike!”

It was like the battle with Victor—Charizard rose a large pillar of rock from the ground and sent it crashing to Corviknight, who broke it apart with the Max Steelspike. 

“I’ve seen that before, Lee!”

Leon didn’t say anything to Hop. “Max Overgrowth!”

Charizard spat three large seeds at Corviknight, which overgrew and ensnared themselves in his legs. The plants then all blew up, scattering grass all over the field. The damage was minimal to Corviknight.

“ _Charizard set up Grassy Terrain! He’s trying to recover the health he’s lost!_ ”

“G-Max Wildfire!”

“Oh no you don’t! Use G-Max Windrage!”

Charizard’s “wings” flared up. The fire shot off his back in the shape of a phoenix. In retaliation, Corviknight’s feathers flew off while he shot a tornado blast towards Charizard. The wind connected with the flames, partially blowing the fire out. The G-Max Wildfire flew up to protect itself before diving at Corviknight like a Talonflame. As for the wind, it connected with Charizard and a few of the feathers grazed his skin, but he shook off the attack. 

G-Max Wildfire struck Croviknight directly. He squawked as the flames encircled him, trapping him in a firey wall that singed his body.

“And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for!” Leon says to the crowd. “Charizard, G-Max Wildfire! For everyone in the stands!” He then whipped into his famous Charizard pose.

Charizard let out the loudest, most ferocious roar he could. The flames on his back burned brighter and brighter. They shot up into the air with that same pheonix shape.

“Corviknight, use G-Max Windrage! Give it everything you’ve got!”

More of Corviknight’s dagger feathers pulled themselves to join the massive tornado Corviknight created. He then shot the mixture out to Charizard while his G-Max Wildfire came soaring towards him.

The two moves crashed with each other, pushing against one another in a struggle for power and victory. Charizard’s intense growling was only barely heard over the wildly cheering crowd. Leon’s fist was clenched; Hop’s gaze was burning with determination. The tension in the air was thick.

Suddenly, G-Max Wildfire was whisked away. G-Max Windrage’s turbulent winds struck Charizard directly. He roared as an explosion took his place.

The crowd gasped.

Charizard began shrinking. He couldn’t even keep himself in the air. Leon returned him.

“ _Charizard is unable to battle! Which means the winner is...Challenger Hop!_ ”

The entire stadium erupted in screams, claps, and cheers for Hop. They all called his name out.

Corviknight shrank down to his normal size. Hop ran towards the Pokemon, cuddling with him. “We did it! Oh my lord Corviknight, we really did it!”

Leon looked frozen at first. He just looked straight at Hop. His teeth clenched a bit, but his frown turned into a smile. “My time as champion is over...but what a champion time it’s been!” Leon ran towards Hop and Corviknight. He looked up at the crowd. “Can you believe it, everyone? The unbeatable champion’s baby brother managed to triumph over him! Well, Galar, I can certainly believe it! Ever since I endorsed Hop, I saw the strength in him waiting to be unleashed, and look at him now! Congratulations, Hop. You’ve really made me proud.”

Leon took off his cape, throwing it around Hop’s shoulders. “People of Galar! Here you have it! A new legend born before your eyes! Please welcome Champion Hop! The future is bright for him, for all of us! Let’s see what he can do!”

Hop was speechless as he looked all around him. He couldn’t believe it.

He is Champion Hop.

**Author's Note:**

> And there's the prologue! It's a little long, but hey, Hop had to become champion somehow!  
> I would once again like to thank the wonderful and talented Glitchy for deciding to (and basically letting me) start this project with me. Please check her out, she is AMAZING.  
> Chapters are generally planned to be pretty lengthy! Keep an eye out for that.
> 
> Zacian is referred to as a "she" in this fic because of Zacian's Shield dex entry: "This Pokémon has slumbered for many years. Some say it's Zamazenta's elder sister—others say the two Pokémon are rivals." In this fic, I'm going with the sister thing because it's cute! SwSh also generally had a family theme so I'm keeping in line with that.


End file.
